Do you despise your alarm clock?

There's an alternative to startling yourself awake

Day in and day out, practically everyone wakes up to the same frustrating noise specifically designed to be jarring enough to shake you out of sweet, sweet slumber. Even using energizing or inspiring tunes won't stop most people from wishing they could stay in bed—and using uplifting songs as your alarm can completely ruin those songs for life!

Fortunately, MindBodyGreen has found alternatives. These are much more delicate ways to rouse you into consciousness, which can brighten both your mornings and your mood for the day.

Waking up naturally

Waking up to loud noises is far from natural. It is a chaotic and stressful experience that starts your day in a terrible physical state. Your heart rate and blood pressure shoot up and you tend to feel very panicked for a moment. Luckily, our bodies are so intelligent that when we follow a strict routine of going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, we naturally adapt to the schedule. This allows us to wake up when we’re supposed to, without the annoying sound of an alarm. Something that helps the process of a natural wake up is letting sunlight in your room each morning by keeping those blackout curtains open at night.

Simulated sunrise

But what if you can't sleep without your blackout curtains, or if the sun doesn't rise early enough to wake you up? Fear not, ‘wake-up light alarm clocks’ are here. These special alarm clocks simulate the rising sun, giving you a more natural experience when waking up. The lights gradually brighten your room to signal to your body that it’s time to wake up. This allows you to wake up without noise, though they can be programmed to activate noises if you oversleep—just to be safe. Research has proven that the use of simulated sunlight in the morning makes people happier, more energetic, and more alert.

A wake-up light alarm clock could be the solution to your morning woes. It’s also an especially thoughtful gift...hint, hint....